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Medical speciality and pattern of medicines prescription

  • Pharmacoepidemiology and Prescription
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prescribing patterns and their quality in relation to the prescriber’s medical speciality in a defined population. Methods: The study was done on a random sample of all primary care medical prescriptions made through the social security system during 1 year in Andorra, a small European country. Number and type of prescribed medicines, prescribers’ medical speciality and patients’ age and gender were recorded. Medical specialities considered were General Practice, Paediatrics, Cardiology, Pneumology, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology and Other. A set of various quality indicators [World Health Organisation (WHO)/International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) indicators and others] was used. Results: The number of medicines prescribed per encounter varied depending on the prescriber’s medical speciality and patient’s age. Cardiologists and pneumologists tended to prescribe more medicines than other medical specialities. Patients older than 65 years received more prescriptions than younger adults, mostly at the expense of cardiovascular drugs. The contribution of the various groups and subgroups of medicines and the scores of various prescribing indicators showed wide variability across the medical specialities. Conclusion: Prescribing patterns and indicators of prescription quality show wide variability depending on the prescriber’s medical speciality. This has important implications for priority setting in information, continuous education and research.

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Acknowledgements

We fully appreciate the collaboration in data collection of Anna Pallarés. This project was financed by The Government of Andorra.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundació Institut Català de Farmacologia, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Pharmacoepidemiology, Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain

    A. Vallano, E. Montané, J. M. Arnau, X. Vidal & J. R. Laporte

  2. , Department of Health and Welfare of Andorra

    C. Pallarés & M. Coll

  3. Fundació Institut Català de Farmacologia, Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain

    J. R. Laporte & J. R. Laporte

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  1. A. Vallano
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  2. E. Montané
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  3. J. M. Arnau
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  4. X. Vidal
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  5. C. Pallarés
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  6. M. Coll
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  7. J. R. Laporte
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Correspondence to J. R. Laporte.

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Vallano, A., Montané, E., Arnau, J.M. et al. Medical speciality and pattern of medicines prescription. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 60, 725–730 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-004-0802-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-004-0802-8

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